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In the beginning, there was nothing. Then there was a big bang. At the time, it wasn’t called the Big Bang, as it was the very first bang, so there were no other bangs to compare it with. Eventually, life evolved far enough to create everything from spatulas to literature, and the original M5 was born. The motorsport version of the e28 5 Series of 1985 was conceived to deliver sports car-like performance with the useability of a four-door sedan. As with that original bang, we didn’t have much to compare it with at the time, and it was easy to call it the best BMW performance sedan ever.

With each generation, BMW continued to add power, first with a bigger inline six-cylinder, then moving up to a V-8, and eventually going full F1-inspired crazy with a 5.0-liter V-10. While the M5 continued its march toward super sedan status, it was waving goodbye to daily driving sensibilities. The large-bore, short-stroke, high-revving V-10 didn’t have much in the way of low-end grunt, and the adjustable suspension varied from bouncy to crushing. The single-clutch semi-automatic SMG transmission balked around town and slapped from gear to gear when driven hard. It was a great car to drive like a sports car, but wasn’t the easiest to live with on a daily basis.

The latest generation of M5 manages to address the daily driving issues ignored by the e60, while simultaneously blowing it out of the water in performance. Enthusiasts may wax poetic about spinning the V-10’s tachometer needle past 8000 rpm, but the rush of torque — 500 lb-ft, to be exact — created by the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 launches the big car like a cannonball. We recorded a 0-60-mph time for the previous M5 at 4.1 seconds with a quarter-mile time of 12.5 seconds at 115.3 mph. Those seem like fast numbers until you consider the newer car runs to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and gets through the quarter in 11.9 seconds at 120.3 mph.

For comparison’s sake, a Porsche Panamera Turbo we tested recently performed these same feats of strength in 3.5 seconds to 60 mph and 11.9 seconds at 114.7 mph through the quarter mile. But all-wheel drive is clearly a big advantage for the Porsche, and its extra 68 lb-ft of torque help the 102-pound-heavier Panamera get out of the hole.

Once the M5’s speeds start to rise, the turbos spool and traction becomes less of an issue. The BMW gets from 0 to 100 mph in 8.4 seconds, while it takes the Porsche 8.8 seconds. The disparity in speed at the end of the quarter mile leads us to believe the M5 would keep pulling away at the high end. The Porsche makes a peak 500 hp, while the BMW cranks out a blistering 560 hp. We have tested a Panamera Turbo S rated at 550 hp that bridges the matches the M5’s 0-100-mph time, but still lags behind the M5’s trap speed, coming in at 118.0 mph. It would seem the BMW is either producing a little more power than rated, or more of it is getting to the ground through two wheels once it’s securely hooked up.

Around our figure-eight course, the BMW got nipped by the Panamera Turbo. The M5 turned in a very unsedan-like 24.9 seconds at an average of 0.81 g. The Porsche did it half a second quicker with the same average g. The difference comes down to cornering speeds. The Panamera Turbo can pull a full 1.00 g in lateral acceleration and claws out of corners quicker, while the M5 creates 0.94 g of sideways tug while building higher straight-line g forces.

Whether in a straight line or cornering, the M5 drives like a bigger, heavier M3. The car naturally wants to understeer, but can be rotated with careful throttle application. The difference is that the M5’s turbo-generated torque isn’t as easily controlled as naturally aspirated torque. This may be the only downside when compared with the V-10. While the naturally aspirated engine seemed to have a direct physical connection from the driver’s ankle to the car’s 10 individual throttle bodies, the turbocharged V-8 is a little more of a game of telephone. Push down on the throttle pedal, feed the engine a bit more air, wait for the turbos to spool, and then get ready to counter steer. The impatient will quickly find themselves facing the wrong direction if they simply pin the throttle and aren’t expecting all 500 lb-ft all at once.

On the road, the new M5 is a huge step forward from the previous car. The SMG transmission is gone, replaced by a thoroughly modern twin-clutch seven-speed semi-automatic transmission. The suspension has a greater range of adjustments from the previous car’s, and even the steering assist is surprisingly variable. With all knobs and switches set in Economy or Comfort mode, the M5 is similar in mannerisms to a 528. The freeway ride is comfortable; the steering is light by BMW standards; and the transmission jumps to the highest possible fuel-saving gear as quickly as it can.

We found it completely livable around town and on the highway. We were even surprised by the amount of amenities BMW has chosen for such a sporting car. If you happen to be lapping the Nuerburgring with the kids in the back seat, they can watch the two monitors hanging off the back of each front seat. How many kids have experienced “Yo Gabba Gabba” at 150 mph? The doors also have a self-closing feature like more luxurious cars in this price range. No need to slam the door; just latch it shut and the car takes it the rest of the way. In fact, if you do slam the door closed, the car gently pops it back out and reseats as if to say, “Here, let me show you how this is done.”

Once you have finished oohing and aahing over all this luxury, the transmission, suspension and steering can all be prodded into Sport mode either through buttons on the center console or all at once with the programmable M Drive buttons on the steering wheel. Damping rates are increased; steering requires a bit more muscle; and shifts are held until later in the powerband while snapping gear to gear a little faster. This was our preferred mode around town, as comfort makes the M5 lean a little bit too far toward the apathetic. Sport still isn’t perfect. The middle mode overshoots the Goldilocks zone, making every trip to the store a qualifying lap, but at least you aren’t holding up traffic in one of the world’s fastest sedans. Steering is quick and direct. BMW’s typical high caster angle on the front suspension provides plenty of feedback through the steering wheel. Holding the gears a little longer means the engine always wants to go and go fast. The one thing that’s exactly right is the suspension, at least for the driver. The stiffer damping rates work with a rigidly mounted rear subframe to give the M5 a buttoned-down feel missing in most sedans.

The last choice for aggression on demand is Sport Plus. Either BMW’s home-turf test routes are perfectly smooth, or the engineers wanted to relive past glory of DTM racers bouncing through the air. Even on our smooth Southern California canyon roads, we found the suspension too stiff in the most aggressive state. Small mid-corner bumps unsettle the chassis, and the unsettling turns to near aerobatics when you press hard on the brakes. The steering effort switches from nicely heavy to something your personal trainer would recommend. Even the throttle response and sportiest shift modes are a little too much for anything other than drag racing.

If we could make one change it would be the addition of a Sport Minus mode — something that would give the car a little more throttle response around town and at least some of the character expected in a six-figure performance sedan.Obviously, the slower throttle response and short shifting are used to maximize the benefit of forced induction at the gas pump and in the eyes of the EPA. But on the whole, that’s a minor hiccup. From driver feedback to all-out performance, this is probably the best M5 ever.

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